Frugal Friday, etc.

(I've edited this post to link to some other frugal blogs!)

It's "Frugal Friday" over at "Life as Mom" and I am participating today!

http://lifeasmom.com/2010/04/frugal-friday-get-what-you-pay-for.html

Here is my idea:

I made myself a mini coupon binder. I've tried several methods of keeping coupons, and they all worked great at the time I was using them. But here's the gist: I not only have quite a stockpile (I literally can't squeeze one more thing in the freezer) but there are also only four of us home now since the two oldest have moved out. My younger kids, 19-year-old Nick and 23-year-old James, have schedules that mean I'm rarely cooking for four of us anyway. And I have enough food in this house (barring the need for fresh things like salad or milk or bread) to feed an army for two months.

So...I'm currently not using as many coupons as I was when I was building my stockpile and feeding 6 on a regular basis. I needed something I could just carry around quickly to any store, and the accordian folder thing just doesn't work for me.

I had thought about the idea to use baseball card holders in a big binder, but I couldn't find any. Then I saw these little plastic pouches in Michael's. I think they are meant to hold beads or other small craft items. I bought them with my 40% off coupon. Then I went to the dollar section for a small notebook and some bling-bling. (Some of my bling has fallen off as you can see.)

The pouches have zip closers but I wanted to be able to pull the coupons out easily, so I cut those off. Then I used sticky-dots to 'glue' one pouch on each page of the notbook. I can slip some coupons right in and others I just fold so I can see what they are. This is easy to carry everywhere.

My little coupon binder wouldn't work for a big family or someone just starting a stockpile, but for anyone 'downsizing' or just taking a break from couponing, I think it would be a good idea. Besides, a cute notebook is cuter than any accordian folder, LOL!

(PS--one other thing I would do is to put tabs along the sides to make each category easier to get to!)

Added: I've also linked to "Couponic Stimulus Package" and "I am A Money Magnet," where you will find some other great frugal tips!

http://www.couponomicstimuluspackage.com/2010/04/gathering-coupons-for-shopping.html

http://www.iamamoneymagnet.com/2010/04/thrifty-tip-tuesday-resourceful-ways-to.html

Frugal Friday: Kraft Coupon Instant Win

It's Frugal Friday today: http://biblicalwomanhoodblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/frugal-friday-how-i-plan-our-menus-part.html
There are so many good ideas over there! Bloggers are just the smartest people on earth, IMHO.

I found an instant win contest on the Kraft site for $15 in coupons. You only get to play once a day...but I tried today and won! The coupons will come in the mail in a few weeks.

I'm always iffy about things like this, so I stick with reliable companies I know. Here's the link to the Kraft contest:

http://brands.kraftfoods.com/sogoodtogether/

This ends February 2nd, btw! (Sorry, I only just found out about it.) Good luck to everyone.

CVS Duracell Deal

This week, CVS has a deal where, if you buy $20 of Duracell batteries, you get back $15 ECBs! Yeah...one-five.
C'mon, you know you're gonna need batteries, so this is the deal for you!

There is a coupon in today's paper, in the Redplum section. I think it's $1.50 off a package of Duracells, but I already used it so it might be different. It's in my Very High Value list, so it's definitely more than a dollar.

The way it works is that you'll have to buy 4 packages, because only 3 will put you under. Curses on "x.99"! I found some with a free little screwdriver as a bonus--those will make cute stocking stuffers.

If you look on the endcaps, you might also find a CVS coupon for $5 off 2 Duracell packs. I did not use this myself. There was a big line, and after my last CVS screw-up http://sortafrugal.blogspot.com/2008/10/two-frugal-thoughts.html I didn't want to take a chance at losing my $15 deal. But you might want to see if you can use that $5 coupon, too!

Also, if you need fall decorations, CVS has them 90% off--at least at my store.

THRIFTY THURSDAY

It's time for "Thrifty Thursday" over at Thrifty Jinxy. Jinxy, btw, is a lovely kitty-cat. Here's the link: http://thriftyjinxy.blogspot.com/

The above photo is my donation. It ain't pretty stuff, but hey, it works!

The red jar used to hold coffee. I painted it with some extra "Fusion" plastic spray paint (great stuff, btw) that I had, then I cut a slit in the side. What's inside? Quarters! Quarters I've been pushing in there for more than a month now. It's almost getting too heavy for me to pick up.

How do I avoid the temptation of dipping in there for spending money? I glued the top on! I'll have to cut the jar open to get the money. I plan to do that in December, and put whatever I have saved towards our family Christmas gift (a DVD recorder)! I threw in a twenty dollar bill just for fun. I have no idea how much is in there--for all I know, it's barely fifty bucks. But that would be fifty bucks I wouldn't have otherwise.

Quarters, I decided, are better to save than smaller coins. They add up faster. Mike gave me almost 2 dollars' worth yesterday, and I found another 2 dollars in quarters on my son's floor. (I consider it a tip for the maid--that's what he gets for having a messy bedroom floor.)

Okay, on to the funny paper. That is how I list my coupons. I don't cut coupons. I keep my circulars in a binder, each in a plastic sleeve. Each week, I make lists of what I have in each circular, with the date at the top. It doesn't take me long--I only list what I will use. (If I think one of our clients' at Dr. A's office can use something, I bring those coupons in to work).

I have 3 columns: Under $1, $1 and VHV (Very High Value). I list the coupons not by type but by worth. Nobody here doubles dollar coupons, but there is one store here that sometimes triples up to 99 cents!

You'll see there are colors. I use Pink highlighter for Health & Beauty, Green for Food and Blue for Household. It makes it easier to see what I have. When I use a coupon, I simply cross it off the list.

I keep the highlighters, a pencil and scissors in a zipper pouch right in the binder, so they are always on hand. I keep 'loose' coupons, like ones cut from magazines, in another zipper pouch in the back, and always remember to check it.

So that is my Thrifty Thursday post--I hope you join Jinxy, too!

Good CVS Deal this week

Actually, there are several pretty good deals at CVS this week, but here's just one where you can actually make a profit.

Garnier Fructis Shine Burst and Strength and Repair Shampoo or Conditioner--3.99. You get 3.99 in ECBs back--which makes it free.

Look in your shampoo file, or in the Valassis (now called Redplum) circulars from either January 6th or today (February 3rd)--there is a dollar coupon.

Use the coupon and you make $1 profit!

If you look at page 2 of the CVS circular today, you see a deal where you get back $5 in ECBs with the purchase of $10 in products. There are coupons for ALL of these items in today's Smartsource Coupon circular.

Happy Shopping!